Slipped upper femoral epiphysis: a case of missed diagnosis

Abstract

A slipped upper femoral epiphysis (SUFE) is a known hip disorder in adolescents in which the proximal femoral epiphysis slips and displaces relative to the metaphysis. We report an obese 12-year-old boy who presented with acute pain in the left hip after a fall. He was otherwise healthy with no prior joint pain. Pelvic radiography was misread twice before a second fall led to a severe SUFE.